INCREASING BAG

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1941, Page 5

INCREASING BAG

OF AXIS MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING TWO LARGE ITALIAN LINERS SUNK. OTHER VESSELS DESTROYED ON LIBYAN COAST. LONDON. September 22. British submarines and aircraft have (destroyed more Axis shipping in the Mediterranean, including two 24,000-ton Italian liners. Submarines patrolling the Central Mediterranean attacked a fast and heavily escorted Italian convoy consisting of three big liners. Two were sunk and the third probably damaged. The liners were vessels of about 24,000 tons. A Cairo communique reports a series of successful raids on enemy shipping near Tripoli. One large schooner, which was hit several times, was abandoned and left burning. Another which was hit blew up with such force’ that one of the raiding aircraft was destroyed. Last Saturday a heavily laden merchant ship was set on fire and left sinking. A destroyer was successfully attacked just outside Tripoli. Benghazi Harbour was bombed the same night. Two of our aircraft are missing.

NINETEEN ITALIAN SHIPS

DESTROYED SINCE BEGINNING OF MONTH. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) Since the beginning of this month nineteen Italian merchant vessels and troop-carrying craft, ranging from the 23,600 ton liner Duilio to large schooners, have been sunk. An Admiralty communique states that one of the liners destroyed on September 18 was similar to the Vulcania, of 24,469 tons, and the other two were of approximately the same tonnage.

PATROLS ACTIVE

TOBRUK AND FRONTIER AREAS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) RUGBY, September 22. A Cairo communique states: “Both at Tobruk and in the frontier area our patrols have been active."